Alec was not going to take pity on her but it was getting late as Rose just sat on his sofa drinking coffee, which he thought was going to keep her awake all night.
''You have to let me stay Alec, they could be camped out there all night, waiting for me to go back in.''
''What makes you think they were waiting for you anyway? They could be waiting for him or maybe both of you. Ok, you can have the spare room but early in the morning, you sneak around the back, get your stuff and move hotels, there are three others around there, I'm sure they will be glad to have you staying there.''
"Thanks, can I borrow a t–shirt to sleep in?''
''Fine, do you want my boxer shorts too? And while you're at it, don't use my razor to shave your legs, I may not use it that often but I have to use it now to keep up this charade. Since you're here, I may tag along with you tomorrow if you want to go look at something but don't expect me to be enthusiastic about it.''
''I'll try to stop you getting bored. We just need to really visit one place, maybe one that's having a wedding fayre, drop a few hints about dates and leave the rest to the press. How am I gonna get to my car though?''
''Really? We sneak in the back way, you come downstairs carrying your things, we pose for a few photos then we leave, I'll show you how to get around the back of the chalet after you go book in at another hotel then on Monday, the press will go away and you can go back to normal, finish your holiday or whatever you were going to do. You'll be out of my hair then.''
''I thought I was going to contact the hospital, which one is it anyway?''
''Why bother?''
''Don't be like that, take a chance Alec, while you still have one, remember what I told you.''
Rose got up and went to the bathroom and while she was in there, she wondered just why he was being so hostile towards her. When James rang later, she couldn't let on that she was in Alec's chalet or he would get the wrong idea but Alec's suggestion they had photos taken leaving the hotel could be taken two ways but James had to understand she was doing this to take the pressure off both of them. If he hadn't gone back to Nevada, they would have been making plans anyway, now they'd be able to do them in peace.
Alec tapped on the bathroom door, he was not accustomed to having to share. ''Rose. I've left you a t-shirt on the bed, are you going to be long?''
''No, just a minute and I'm not shaving my legs you'll be glad to know so keep your shirt on.''
She came out and looked at him. He looked tired, she must have kept him out too long and now she regretted it but if he was stupid enough to keep that little fact from her, what did he expect? How was she supposed to know about him if he hadn't revealed that part to the press? The man was infuriating and now she was stuck here for the night, still she had James's call to look forward to soon. She got a surprise when he called her early, just after ten.
Rose had just got changed into Alec's t-shirt and was hugging her knees, sat up on the bed and Alec was pacing the small living area, wondering how he had got himself a house guest for the night. He heard her phone ring and her trying to keep her voice down, which in that place, wasn't easy. He went into his bedroom and closed the door, hoping he couldn't hear her in there. What the hell had he been thinking? Posing for photos and an interview were one thing but letting her stay? He needed a head transplant not a pacemaker. He was surprised her fiancé had been talked into going along with it but maybe the man was used to her being impulsive.
He hardly knew anything about her really, except her rise to fame after being adopted by the Vitex chairman then her whirlwind romance with the actor but he knew Tyler had ties to Torchwood, the not so secret agency and suspected she was tied to it as well, it stood to reason she didn't sit at home all day, even when she was getting married. No, Rose Tyler was a force to be reckoned with and he believed she would march him into the nearest heart unit and make him go ahead with the operation.
Anyway, it would be over one way or another once the hearing was over, he had nothing to hold on for, well maybe except getting Sandbrook solved and if for the next week Rose spent her time going over it, she would pass it on to someone if the worst happened because he would make her promise she would, for helping her fool the press. Still, going around with a young blonde wasn't so bad, even if she did belong to another man.
Rose was still trying to convince James she had it all in hand.
''I'm still not happy about it Rose, if the press are camped outside your hotel how are you going to get past them and how is Alec Hardy going to be seen leaving with you?''
''I have it all planned, he comes in the back way in the morning, I meet him in the bar and we leave together, I drop him at his chalet and go book into another hotel but we still finish that interview on Monday, hopefully I'll be able to give them a few hints as to the venue, I'll see a few tomorrow, mention the locations and let the press guess which one, I'm sure the venues will be only too pleased to get a mention.''
''Rose, you are a genius darlin' I miss you.''
''I miss you too Jamie, try to get home soon.''
''I'll be honest Rose, it's not looking good, there were more delays today. I have no idea what's going on and it's no fun sat in my trailer most of the time or talking to some of the other actors, they are just as fed-up as I am, I just hope it's worth it, at least I have you to come home to.''
''Yeah babe, it's a shame I can't come over there, talk to you tomorrow.''
Rose decided to pay another bathroom visit before settling down, having borrowed a new toothbrush Alec had bought as a twinpack and was just in his t-shirt which came just above her knees. It was unfortunate Alec had chosen that moment to come out of his room in his own t-shirt and shorts, having decided to take another heart pill as Rose came out of his spare bedroom, both heading for the bathroom.
''After you,'' Alec insisted, going to the kitchen instead.
Rose felt embarrassed, it was his place after all but as she came out, he was just heading for his bedroom door.
''It's all yours now, sorry. I hope I didn't disturb you when I was on the phone, it's the only time James can call me with the time difference, it takes some getting used to.''
''You did not disturb me, goodnight Rose.''
''Yeah and thanks Alec, I owe you and I'll go easy on you from now on.''
''I don't want any allowances made Rose, I'm quite capable of following you around a wedding venue, even though it's not for my wedding, thank goodness. I've been there once already and if and that's a big 'IF' I ever go through it again, it won't involve looking for wedding venues and in front of the whole world.''
''Wow, something must have really scared you off, was it that bad, being married?''
''Back off Rose, you have no idea. Now if you don't mind, I'm rather tired after you dragged me around earlier.''
''Then don't let me keep you and to say thanks, I'll bring you a cup of tea in the morning, if I'm allowed? Have you got anything for breakfast?''
''I have to go grocery shopping,'' he admitted.
Rose smiled. ''Ok, first thing tomorrow when the supermarket opens, I take you grocery shopping, you shouldn't do it on your own then we'll find somewhere to look around, have lunch and then I'll drop you back here and disappear until we meet at the newspaper office, wherever that's going to be?''
''I'll find out on Monday morning and I can go shopping on my own thanks.''
''Getting a taxi there or were you planning on walking to it and carry three bags of shopping back were you?''
''Ok Miss smarty knickers, don't sound so smug. We'll do it your way after we get you out of that hotel and go get some breakfast but the café doesn't open until ten on Sundays. There's some bread in the breadbin, you can make some toast.''
''Any strawberry jam or marmalade?''
''Don't push your luck. Goodnight.''
Rose smiled again as he turned, noticing he had rather a cute bum, much like James did but she shouldn't be even thinking like that. She was woken by a noise just after two in the morning, Alec was calling out something about get away from the water and Rose hit the screen on her phone to get some light and noted the time. Sitting up, she heard him mutter an 'Arrgh' and she rushed out, not bothering to knock on his bedroom door to find him clutching his chest.
''Alec! Are you ok? Do you need your medication?''
''No, just leave me alone, go back to bed, I don't want anyone fussing over me, if I did, I would have stayed in the hotel.''
''I'm not leaving until I know you're ok Alec, please let me help you.''
Alec sat up on one elbow and even though there was only a little light from across the river and the road, she knew he was in pain.
''I don't need your help, go away Rose, please.''
''You don't know me very well Alec, people who wake me up yelling in the middle of the night are my speciality. You were shouting something about keeping away from the water. That was you, finding that girl in the river wasn't it?''
''Ok, you want to know? I almost drowned but they pulled me out, I was lucky, she had been in there for three days. I keep seeing people holding their hands out to pull me out of the river then I see people lined up in front of the waves on the beach and I'm warning them. Happy now you know my darkest secret?''
''I'm sorry Alec but you have to let someone help you, you can't go on like this.''
''Can't I? Eh? Pippa Gillespie didn't get out, why should I?''
''You didn't kill her Alec, you tried to put whoever did in prison but he got away, you can't keep blaming yourself.''
''Can't I? If you don't like it, you're free to leave in the morning, I don't want you feeling sorry for me.''
''You're so stubborn, I only ever met one man who was as stubborn as you and he's trapped, in another universe through no fault of his own and if I could get him back, I'd do it like a shot but I can't, ever. No-one killed him but they may as well have done because the day I lost him, I thought I couldn't go on but I did, I met James. You have to carry on Alec, you have to put Danny's killer behind bars even if you can't get Pippa's. Please Alec, let me help you? You need someone.''
''Why should you want to help me? You have your fiancé to go back to.''
''He's stuck in the Nevada desert and he may as well be stuck in another universe as well, they won't let him come home and they won't let me go over there, I'm destined to meet men who keep going away and do you know what?''
Alec shook his head and laid back on the pillow. Rose touched his arm and sat on the side of the bed.
''I'm not going to let you just fade away until it's too late for you to do something about it. I let two men walk away from me, it's not the first time James has gone off filming and it won't be the last either and I'm getting tired of it, I just want to go back to my old boring life sometimes, before I became famous for dating an actor. You're getting worse aren't you? Ask yourself how long you've got Alec and do something about it, before it's too late.''
''I told you, I don't want you feeling sorry for me, forget me after Monday.''
''No, I'm not going to do that, I can't let you get worse. I told you, I let my friend go off to stop the Cybermen and I never told him I loved him, think of your daughter Alec, how would she feel?''
''Don't bring her into this Rose, she doesn't even talk to me, I've tried, even after it came out I wasn't the one who lost the evidence, she still doesn't know who did.''
''Then who was it Alec? Was it your ex wife?''
''Keep out of it Rose, don't get tangled up with me. Are you going to sit there all night keeping me awake?''
''Yes if I have to, until I talk some sense into you. Me and my friend, we used to travel together and we'd stay up all night talking sometimes so I've had plenty of practice.''
''I can tell. Well you can sit there all night, I'm going back to sleep.''
''Then move over.''
He was too tired and worn out from being woken to argue with her as she moved the duvet and he moved over. She could tell he wanted to resist but somehow all the fight had gone out of him but Alec had the best night's sleep he'd had in a long time as he suddenly turned back around and Rose put her arm around him and he buried his head in her shoulder.
TBC